I don’t know about you, but some of the things I like the most are stuffed vegetables. And when there’s ricotta on the plate, it’s even better. These stuffed vegetables with ricotta and a quick pesto are just so good and perfect for a quick vegetarian dinner!

I’ve been craving ricotta since a couple of days, but you know, lockdown and all, I couldn’t really go and get it straight away. I suggest to use goat ricotta for this dish – impossible to find in UK but much tastier than regular one-. However, the dried tomatoes I managed to find during the Italian week at Lidl can make the trick and make this dish just delicious.

Spring for me means picnics, fresh zucchini and tasty quick meals. This year everything is upside down of course. We are kind of stuck in this unpredictable weather is Scotland as well as unpredictable restrictions. Nevertheless, I believe this would be a perfect picnic meal. I still remember those times with friends, eating and drinking and having fun at the park on sunny days.

“Spring is the time of plans and projects.”
Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina

Ricotta Stuffed Vegetables with Ricotta and Zucchine Pesto

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 30

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Servings 2 people

Equipment

oven tray
Frying or Grilling Pan
Electric Food Chopper

Ingredients

250 gr Ricotta
2 Zucchini
4-5 Portobello or Giant Mushrooms
4-5 Dried Tomatoes
to taste Salt and Pepper
as required Olive Oil

For the Pesto

50 gr Pistacchio
leftover part Zucchini
2-3 tbsp Avocado or Olive Oil
1 tbsp Grated Parmesan
to taste Basil
a splash Milk I used Coconut "Milk" Drink

Instructions

Cut the Zucchini into tiny slices through the length. Keep the external greener parts and all the slices which didn't come out great for the pesto. Grill them on a grilling or frying pan with a bit of oil, medium heat, 5 minute per side, until dark brown.
Cut the stalks out of the mushrooms and set aside. Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper and bake upside down at 200C for 10 minutes, to remove the water.
In the meantime, mix together the chopped dried tomatoes, the mushrooms' stalks and the ricotta. I used the electric food chopper. Season slightly. Don't add too much salt as the dried tomatoes are pretty salty.
Take the mushrooms out of the oven, and place the ricotta mixture on top. Add some parmesan or breadcrumbs if you like. Place the ricotta mixture on the zucchini and roll these to make a roll. Spray some olive oil on top and bake in the oven at 200C for 15-20 min, until golden.
In the meantime, prepare the pesto mixing all the ingredients together in the electric food chopper. Add a bit more oil if needed.
Serve the mushrooms with some pesto on top and a bed of pesto for the zucchini. Enjoy!